I got a Wilier fixie at Christmas and have been using it a lot more than my geared bike. My regular rides take in hills and flats and on Monday I rode 52km with plenty left in the tank. This got me thinking about whether I need the geared bike at all or is just going to end up neglected.

Not me, while there's a place in my garage to keep a fixie, and I was going to try to stick to Fixie Friday I won't be giving up the gears for mtb enduros or longer road rides. Fixie Friday will probably be replaced by Fixie Fursday since Friday is now school drop off day. I like the simplicity but it has its place.

bychosis (bahy-koh-sis): A mental disorder of delusions indicating impaired contact with a reality of no bicycles.

Chillibones wrote: but I may sell the road bike and buy another fixie. Decisions, decisions.

You obviously don't ride in(real) hills much.

I was rolling fixed only (1bike) for awhile but missed being able to climb up To lofty or Norton Summit. A new Caad10 sorted that. I've been commuting fixed for the last 5 months but the novelty is starting to wear off and I'm gonna put lights on the roadie and ride that for bit.

I'm a Lancastrian (Google Lancashire) if you're not sure. I've ridden many real hills, although I was a bit younger then and had a 10 speed Raleigh, went round most of the UK on that. There were a few real hills.

I agree gears have a place, I guess it depends on what sort of cycling we do. Speed is not the most important thing to me these days, and whilst there are some areas that have pretend hills there is nothing I can't get up slowly. I'm enjoying the challenge that the fixie has brought me, the daily commute is a 32k round trip and since I started it at the beginning of the year I've noticed a rapid improvement in my cycling fitness.

I don't want this to become a 'who's done the hardest, fastest, hilliest etc etc thread, just interested in peoples experiences.

I had an IGH on my commuting bike, but the rim on the rear wheel started developing cracks around the spoke holes after about 15,000km. The bits I had lying around the garage allowed me to convert the bike to a single speed. It was meant to be a temporary measure... that was 1,900km ago... I don't think I'll go back to commuting with gears for a while. It's 48/17. I couldn't go much taller than that, because there are some decent hills close to home.

However if the rides a fast group ride or anything involving some serious climbs I crack out the gears.

I love the fix, but gears have their place.

I rode nothing but fixed for about 3 years, mostly due to being unable to afford another bike. Only in the last month did I put together an old roady with a 1x8 set-up so I can tackle the long and steep hills I want to ride.

Your 1x8 is interesting to me. I'm working on a project bike at the moment, it was a 10 speed Europa, it's all stripped down and ready to go to the powdercoaters, I was going to keep it as a single speed but it's tempting to make it a 1X5 for the added flexability.

Your 1x8 is interesting to me. I'm working on a project bike at the moment, it was a 10 speed Europa, it's all stripped down and ready to go to the powdercoaters, I was going to keep it as a single speed but it's tempting to make it a 1X5 for the added flexability.

If its a steel frame then weight saving isn't a factor. So wny not have a second chainring and fd for the extra grams and enjoy a proper range of gears? You already have a solo geared bike. Whzts another coupla hundred grams on a 10 plus kilo 80's roadie any way. Fd prevents chain drop too.

Yeh, the fixie is great. So easy to maintain and so little to go wrong on my commutes. it's surprisingly fast too.What derailleur are you considering using? Is it old or new? If it's old and not in great condition, I'd recommend going a modern-ish 8 speed if possible. I've got a new SRAM 8 speed cassette and 1980-90s Shimano 600 groupset. Works great.

I'd definitely consider getting something to stop chain drop if you're running a single chainring. Mine's only dropped 3 times in 350kms but it's worth getting one of the little devices available (something smaller than a front der.)

BLVR: I haven't found 'range' to be a problem. 44x11 is plenty for downhill; I easily hit 65km which is about as fast as I ever need to go. 44x28 is low enough for hills. Any lower and I might as well get off and walk.

I commuted on a fixed gear bike for about 12mths solid few years back, then intermittently .... then not ... but occasionally get it out for fun / a commute / thirsty thursday / bare foot bowls on a sunday / flat track ride to the coast.....

There are too many other bikes for fun and utility in the garage that have gears.

I've still got a geared bike and I still ride it ... when I'm feeling weak (medical issues). I have a 10% hill on my commute, and while the gears make that hill easier, up and down, the steepest part of that climb is the only time I'd like a lower gear. I ride plenty of hills and lots of flats - I haven't given up on gears, but the are the second string choice.

I only have one bike now and that's my fixed belt drive bike. I commute every day I can, which is a 30k round trip. I'm also riding the Gran Fondo along the Great Ocean Rd with my dad in a few weeks, which will be the furthest distance I've ridden at a stretch. 40k in there's a 9k hill at 5-6% I believe, which will test me. But so far in training, 60km is very comfortable with some real steep hills thrown in.

I don't feel the need for gears at all, and after the smooth silence of a belt drive, a clattering derailleur and gear changes would irk me. If I rode more competitively I'm sure I'd change my mind, but for me, fixed is where it's at.

If I had have bought my SS before buying my roadie, instead of the other way around, I would have saved the cash. My SS gets all wet weather commuting, popping out to the shops/mate's place and riding with the family duties.

Riding SS has made me a better rider, but it's also made half my roadie's gear superfluous....

Your 1x8 is interesting to me. I'm working on a project bike at the moment, it was a 10 speed Europa, it's all stripped down and ready to go to the powdercoaters, I was going to keep it as a single speed but it's tempting to make it a 1X5 for the added flexability.

If its a steel frame then weight saving isn't a factor. So wny not have a second chainring and fd for the extra grams and enjoy a proper range of gears? You already have a solo geared bike. Whzts another coupla hundred grams on a 10 plus kilo 80's roadie any way. Fd prevents chain drop too.

I did 50km this morning on my steel Mercier which included a couple of reasonably steep hills and never needed to change out of the big ring, the big attraction of 1x on a steel road bike for me is the look .

singlespeedscott wrote:I love the fix, but gears have their place.

And another +1 for this, except I would say like rather than love, going fast is too important to me .

When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments- Elizabeth West.

I cut the gear cables on my commuter (10km round trip) and turned it into a SS. I haven't looked back. I've commuted on a SS a few years back and missed it after I sold the bike. I'm using 46/16 and it's hard as my commute to work is all up hill but I've already noticed at the end of week two that my legs are getting stronger.I'll be happy to ride this longer distances and at the moment I don't feel like I need a geared bike.

BRLVR.v2 wrote:If its a steel frame then weight saving isn't a factor. So wny not have a second chainring and fd for the extra grams and enjoy a proper range of gears? You already have a solo geared bike. Whzts another coupla hundred grams on a 10 plus kilo 80's roadie any way. Fd prevents chain drop too.

I did 50km this morning on my steel Mercier which included a couple of reasonably steep hills and never needed to change out of the big ring, the big attraction of 1x on a steel road bike for me is the look

Me three. It looks much neater and I didn't want to ruin the new paintjob with a clamp-on FD.

I've got a single 42t chainring and 11-28 cassette on my retro roady. Cranking top gear at ~100rpm, I can sit on 50kph. Plenty fast enough for me. I've contemplated switching to a 44 or 46 tooth chainring because they look better on paper, but then I go for a ride and always decide to stick with the 42 because it is so much fun.

There's plenty of range with the 11-28 cassette. Maybe I've been lucky, but chain drop hasn't happened to me yet.

Still got a 9 speed road bike (steelisreal spec) for 100km+ rides and a flat bar road bike with 2x10 shifters but the simplicity and stealth of that singlespeed means it gets ridden a lot. I also commute regularly on a fixed gear bike because beers instead of gears yolo.

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